Tool-bearing carriage, in particular mobile in a pipe

Abstract

A movable carriage ( 5 ) in a main conduit ( 1 ) transporting a viewing tool ( 12 ) or a work tool ( 12 ) sends this tool into adjacent conduits ( 3 ) which connect to the previous one via a box and with a difference in level by deploying a semi-rigid and turning arm ( 10 ) longer than the radius of the main conduit.

1 . Tool carriage, characterised in that it comprises a drum ( 9 ) supported by the carriage ( 5 ), an arm ( 10 ) supported by the drum ( 9 ) and bearing by means of a joint ( 17 ) a support ( 11 ) for the tool ( 12 ), the arm ( 10 ) being semi-rigid and having a free state of rigidity and a flexible state, and means of rotation ( 16 ) of the drum ( 9 ) around a longitudinal axis of the carriage, of deployment ( 22 ,  23 ) of the arm outwith the carriage and in a lateral direction of the carriage, and of adjustment ( 33 ) of the support ( 11 ) around the joint.  
     
     
         2 . Tool carriage according to  claim 1 , where a flexible rod ( 13 ) is linked to the tool ( 12 ), characterised in that the support ( 11 ) for the tool has a conical cavity into which a complementary shape ( 32 ) of the tool ( 12 ) can be placed, and the carriage comprises a driving force of the rod.  
     
     
         3 . Tool carriage according to  claim 2 , characterised in that the tool support comprises clamps ( 29 ) for gripping onto a surrounding structure ( 30 ).  
     
     
         4 . Tool carriage according to  claim 3 , characterised in that it comprises a clamps deployment spring, inhibited by the tool as long as the latter is in the support.  
     
     
         5 . Tool carriage according to any one of  claims 1  to  4 , characterised in that the arm comprises a chain ( 18 ,  18 ′) of single-sided rigidity.  
     
     
         6 . Tool carriage according to  claim 5 , characterised in that the arm comprises a second chain ( 18 ″) of single-sided rigidity, the chains being juxtaposed in the free state so as to constitute an assembly of two-sided rigidity.